Dhaka, Sept. 9 -- In South India, festivals mean the gentle beauty of women wearing flowers on their foreheads. But who knew that this custom could be a source of danger at an Australian airport! Popular Malayalam actress Navya Nair was fined 1,980 Australian dollars for wearing jasmine flowers. That's more than Tk150,000 in Bangladeshi currency.

Navya Nair was travelling to Australia to attend an Onam event organised by the Indian diaspora. When she arrived at Melbourne Airport, customs officers caught sight of a 15-centimeter-long jasmine garland in her bag. Australia has strict biosecurity laws.

The main purpose of this law is to protect Australia from various diseases, pests and pollution that can be harmful to people, animals, plan...